Texas does not require PI license to repair computers. - Linux

This is a discussion on Texas does not require PI license to repair computers. - Linux ; In article ,
Roy Schestowitz wrote:
> New law says computer repair guys in Texas must also be licensed private
> investigators!!!
Wrong (of course). The law is here:
And here is the State's interpretation of what it means:
A ...

Texas does not require PI license to repair computers.

In article <1564977.zvaN9qsu5f@schestowitz.com>,
Roy Schestowitz wrote:
> New law says computer repair guys in Texas must also be licensed private
> investigators!!!

Wrong (of course). The law is here:

And here is the State's interpretation of what it means:

A highly relevant example from the latter document:

For example, when the service provider is charged with reviewing the
client’s computer-based data for evidence of employee malfeasance,
and a report is produced that describes the computer-related
activities of an employee, it has conducted an investigation and has
therefore provided a regulated service. On the other hand, if the
company simply collects and processes electronic data (whether in
the form of hidden, deleted, encrypted files, or otherwise), and
provides it to the client in a form that can then be reviewed and
analyzed for content by others (such as by an attorney or an
investigator), then no regulated service has been provided.

The gist here is that if this is the kind of situation in which you'd
ned a licensed investigator for non-computer data, then you also need a
PI for computer data. So, for example, if you are investigating someone
in order to get evidence that you can introduce in court for a lawsuit,
you need a PI. If you are just snooping on your husband and want copies
of his deleted files, browser history, and such, the person who gets
that for you doesn't need to be licensed.

This is also relevant:

Computer repair or support services should be aware that if they
offer to perform investigative services, such as assisting a
customer with solving a computer-related crime, they must be
licensed as investigators. The review of computer data for the
purpose of investigating potential criminal or civil matters is a
regulated activity under Chapter 1702 of the Texas Occupations Code,
as is offering to perform such services.

So, if Bob's Computer Repair advertised that they can find out what your
husband does in chat rooms, so you can get evidence to nail him in your
upcoming divorce, they'd probably need to be licensed. If Bob's is
advertising they can recover deleted files, produce lists of nasty
things from your cache and browser history, and stuff like that, that's
not an investigation. That's just telling you what's on your computer.
No license needed.

Speaking of investigations, at the site you linked to for this article,
the comments clearly pointed out that the story was bogus. Same at
Digg, and Reddit, and most other places that carried this story. It is
impossible for anyone exercising even minimal care in vetting stories
before passing them on to not be aware that it was bogus. How come it
slipped by you?

--
--Tim Smith

Re: Texas does not require PI license to repair computers.

On Wed, 02 Jul 2008 22:14:30 -0700, Tim Smith wrote:

> Speaking of investigations, at the site you linked to for this article,
> the comments clearly pointed out that the story was bogus. Same at
> Digg, and Reddit, and most other places that carried this story. It is
> impossible for anyone exercising even minimal care in vetting stories
> before passing them on to not be aware that it was bogus. How come it
> slipped by you?

It didn't slip by him.
Roy Schestowitz is dishonest and he knows that a headline like that will
bring traffic......

Roy Schestowitz hopes that nobody will actually check his links.
He caught me with that tactic.

When will the loons in COLA finally figure out that they are being played
for suckers by the likes of Schestowitz?